California Attorney General Rob Bonta today issued the following statement in support of the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) federal lawsuit against Amazon, which follows the suit he brought in state court on behalf of Californians over a year ago:
“The Biden-Harris Administration has taken numerous actions to protect competition in the marketplace and lower costs for consumers. Today’s lawsuit by the FTC and 17 states against Amazon is a continuation of those important efforts. I welcome the FTC and sister states to this fight against Amazon. Misuse of monopoly power on the backs of consumers and workers deserves no place in our economy.”
Background on Attorney General Bonta’s Amazon Lawsuit:
- On September 14, 2022, Attorney General Bonta announced filing a lawsuit against Amazon in the Superior Court of California, County of San Francisco. The complaint alleges that Amazon violated California’s Unfair Competition Law and Cartwright Act by requiring merchants to enter into agreements that severely penalize them if their products are offered for a lower price off-Amazon.
- On March 30, 2023, Attorney General Bonta secured a favorable court ruling, which blocked Amazon’s request that California’s lawsuit against the company be dismissed.
- On April 14, 2023, Attorney General Bonta announced that the Superior Court decided to unredact portions of California’s complaint, revealing additional evidence that Amazon is blocking price competition in violation of state antitrust laws.
- The trial in California’s case is currently set for 2026.
